Obituary of Reta Kennedy

Reta Clare Larkin was born on August 12, 1924 in her family home in St. Peter's Bay, Prince Edward Island. She passed away at St. Mary's Hospital on July 13, 2014 at the age of 89 years. Reta was raised in PEI with her five brothers and four sisters. At the age of 17 she moved to Montreal to nanny for a prestigious doctor and his wife. A year later she decided to join the Navy. She was stationed in Halifax and there she met Don Kennedy. They were married four months later. Reta was discharged from the Navy to attend to her ailing mother in PEI. Seven months later, in November of 1945, she moved west to Kelsey. Over the next decade Reta and Don had five children. They lived in many different places and experienced many different things. Reta moved to Camrose in 1970 and worked at Rosehaven for 19 years. She retired in 1989 and moved to Wild Rose Villa. Reta loved to sew and was very good at it. She made quite a few wedding dresses, bridesmaid gowns, Flower girl dresses, graduation gowns, Barbie Doll dresses and just about anything else you asked her to do. She also loved going to Bingo, reading, playing cards and visiting with her many friends. Reta was very proud of her family. She was constantly bragging about one grandchild or the other. Then she would move on to bragging about the great-grandchildren. She leaves to mourn her children, Doug (Loreen), Tom (Marie), Jo, and Jennifer (Allan); son-in-law Lawrence Lee; eleven grandchildren Gerald (Siobhain), Patti, Travis (Sarah), Jill, Allison (Chris), Sara (Jerrit), Scott, Jon (Linsey), Michael, Doug (Rhonda), and Mia; eight great-grandchildren, Marissa, Lachlan, Colby, Hayden, Avery, Maggie, Emma and Perry; sisters Theresa, Tilly and Edie; brother Ernie (Robin); and brother-in-law Allen (Donna). Reta was predeceased by her daughter Colleen, son-in-law Fred, sister Stella and brothers Frank, Freddie, Steven and Louie. A Mass of the Resurrection was celebrated at 11:00 a.m., Friday, July 18, 2014 from St. Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church (5010 48 A Ave, Camrose) with Rev. Leon Kler as celebrant. Inurnment will take place in the Camrose Cemetery at a later date. If family and friends so desire, memorial contributions are gratefully accepted to the charity of one's choice.